Conveyor system bridge

Abstract

A bridge for a conveyor system includes a bridge frame including a top support surface segment having a top support surface. The bridge frame further has first and second side walls extending downwardly away from the top support surface segment. Each side wall has a portion thereof with a radius of curvature substantially matching a corresponding conveyor roller. A portion of the first side wall extends toward and joins the second side wall, the second side wall further having a tail portion and a living hinge extending away from the tail portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A bridge for a conveyor system comprising:
 a bridge frame including a top support surface segment having a top support surface; the bridge frame further having first and second side walls extending downwardly away from the top support surface segment, each side wall having a portion thereof with a radius of curvature substantially matching a corresponding conveyor roller; 
 wherein a portion of the first side wall extends toward and joins the second side wall, the second side wall further having a tail portion and a living hinge extending away from the tail portion. 
 
     
     
       2. The bridge of  claim 1 , wherein both the first side wall and the second side wall are joined to the top support surface segment. 
     
     
       3. The bridge of  claim 1 , further comprising an elastic bladder that forms at least a portion of a space providing an expandable brake chamber, such that a pressurized fluid introduced into the brake chamber causes the bladder to expand to provide a braking force to adjacent conveyor rollers. 
     
     
       4. The bridge of  claim 3 , wherein the elastic bladder is attached to the first side wall and the second side wall or the living hinge to form the brake chamber. 
     
     
       5. The bridge of  claim 3 , wherein the elastic bladder is attached to the first side wall and the living hinge to form the brake chamber. 
     
     
       6. The bridge of  claim 3 , wherein the elastic bladder is attached to the second side wall and the living hinge to form the brake chamber. 
     
     
       7. The bridge of  claim 3 , wherein the elastic bladder is attached to different portions of the first side wall to form the brake chamber. 
     
     
       8. The bridge of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of an upwardly facing surface of the top support surface segment has a nonslip feature incorporated thereon. 
     
     
       9. The bridge of  claim 8 , wherein the nonslip feature is a nonslip material incorporated thereon. 
     
     
       10. The bridge of  claim 9 , wherein the nonslip material is formed in a strip. 
     
     
       11. The bridge of  claim 1 , wherein at least the living hinge flexes during insertion of the bridge between adjacent conveyor rollers. 
     
     
       12. The bridge of  claim 11 , wherein the living hinge includes a notch formed therein to facilitate insertion of the bridge between adjacent conveyor rollers. 
     
     
       13. The bridge of  claim 12 , wherein the living hinge includes a protrusion formed therein to resist removal of the bridge after insertion of the bridge between adjacent conveyor rollers. 
     
     
       14. The bridge of  claim 11 , further comprising an axis extending through centers of adjacent parallel conveyor rollers, the axis coincident with a plane transverse to longitudinal axes of the adjacent parallel conveyor rollers, a first distance between intersection points of facing surface portions of the adjacent parallel conveyor rollers along the axis being less than a second distance between opposed ends of the top support surface segment (coincident with the plane), the first distance being less than a third distance between a distal end of the tail portion (coincident with the plane) and a distal end of the living hinge (coincident with the plane) so as to resist removal of the bridge after insertion of the bridge between the adjacent parallel conveyor rollers. 
     
     
       15. The bridge of  claim 1 , wherein the bridge is positioned such that the first side wall and the second side wall are substantially maintained in a non-contacting position relative to corresponding conveyor rollers. 
     
     
       16. The bridge of  claim 3 , further comprising caps sealed to opposed ends of the brake chamber. 
     
     
       17. The bridge of  claim 16 , further comprising a conduit in fluid communication with the brake chamber and a source of pressurized fluid. 
     
     
       18. The bridge of  claim 17 , wherein fluid communication between the conduit and at least one other brake chamber is maintained in at least one of in series and in parallel. 
     
     
       19. The bridge of  claim 18 , wherein the caps are configured to receive the conduit and interconnect other brake chambers in at least one of in series or in parallel. 
     
     
       20. A bridge for a conveyor system comprising:
 a bridge frame including a top support surface segment having a top support surface, the bridge frame further including first and second side walls extending downwardly away from the top support surface segment, each side wall having a portion thereof with a radius of curvature substantially matching a corresponding conveyor roller; and 
 an elastic bladder that forms at least a portion of a space providing an expandable brake chamber, such that a pressurized fluid introduced into the brake chamber causes the bladder to expand to provide a braking force to adjacent conveyor rollers; 
 wherein a portion of the first side wall extends toward and joins the second side wall, the second side wall further having a tail portion and a living hinge extending away from the tail portion.